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Britain’s power bills rise at four times EU rate

BRITISH families have seen their gas and electricity bills rise between four and five times more than households in the rest of Europe, according to official figures. The jump explains why the overall cost of living is increasing much faster in the UK compared with the Continent.

The Office for National Statistics says domestic electricity bills have gone up by an average of 27.3% in the past year, while gas bills have risen by 39.8%.

In contrast, figures from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, show that energy bills have risen far more slowly in France, Germany, Italy and the 10 other countries of the euro zone. Families in Europe have seen electricity bills rise by an average of only 5% in the past year, while gas bills have risen by 10.6%.

Philip Shaw, an economist with Investec, a City firm, said the sharp rise in energy bills